World News - Men Plead Not Guilty to Bush-Al-Jazeera Bombing Memo Leak

Two men pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of making a damaging disclosure by leaking a memo which included references to U.S. President George W. Bush talking of bombing Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera. David Keogh, 49, a former Cabinet Office spokesman, and Leo O'Connor, 42, a former researcher for a lawmaker, were released on bail after appearing at the Central Criminal Court.Their trial was set for Oct. 9.Keogh faces two charges of violating the Official Secrets Act and O'Connor faces a single charge.The Daily Mirror newspaper reported that the memo revealed details of a conversation between Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House on April 16, 2004.... http://www.foxnews.com

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Cyprus to support Turkey's efforts to join the European Union, during a visit to Athens marked by violent protests.As Rice Tuesday met her Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyanni and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, riot police hurled teargas at demonstrators trying to march to the U.S. embassy.Police said 9 protesters were arrested in the clashes, which wrecked at least 10 central Athens shops and 4 cars. No injuries were reported.Rice, on a five-day trip to Europe that also includes Turkey and Bulgaria, said work needed to be done on Cyprus's 32-year division -- a source of tension in Greek-Turkish relations and a major stumbling block to Turkey's EU hopes....http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/04/25/rice.greece.reut/index.html?section=cnn_world

A powerful storm system spawned at least two tornadoes and several severe thunderstorms, causing damage in central and northeastern areas of the state Monday, authorities said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. West of Oklahoma City, two tornadoes tore through sparsely populated areas of Canadian County, damaging hangars at the municipal airport south of El Reno. Television footage showed debris from the buildings being lifted and flung about as the tornado moved overhead. Parts of the hangars' roofs were ripped away and a couple of airplanes were moved outside. Damage from the storms, which formed near U.S. Highway 81 and Interstate 40 about 40 miles west of Oklahoma City, appeared to be isolated, Lt. Stewart Meyer, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman said. ...http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/2006-04-24-oklahoma-tornadoes_x.htm

European Union agriculture ministers have approved a subsidy package for poultry farmers hit by falling sales and prices due to bird flu. The European Commission will cover half the costs incurred by EU governments. Farmers will be eligible if they can prove that bird flu led to a slump in demand for their poultry. EU data show that poultry sales have fallen by up to 70% in some EU countries, while prices have slumped by 13% on average. Poultry sales are especially weak in Italy, Greece and Cyprus. Italy and France have already said they will make a total of 163m euros ($200m; £113m) available to their farmers. Previously EU aid could only be used to help farmers hit by an outbreak of bird flu on their property, or who could not sell produce because of veterinary restrictions. ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4942680.stm

Iraqi politicians, encouraged by an agreement on a new prime minister, worked to form a government yesterday amid continuing violence that killed three U.S. soldiers in the capital and left at least 27 Iraqis dead. The largest Sunni Arab party raised new accusations of sectarian killings one of the most urgent issues facing the new leadership. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said the next government must decommission sectarian militias and integrate them into the national armed forces, warning that the armed groups represent the "infrastructure for civil war." The deaths yesterday raised to eight the number of U.S. troops killed in the past two days. At least 61 American service members have died in April, compared with 31 in March. The three soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb northwest of the capital. Seven Iraqis were killed when three mortars hit outside the Green Zone in Baghdad, not far from the Defense Ministry. At least eight mortars or rockets ...http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20060423-094800-1640r.htm

At least 22 people have been killed and up to 150 wounded in three explosions in the Egyptian resort town of Dahab. The blasts occurred in a bustling area popular with tourists during the early evening when many people would have been out in cafes and restaurants. Eyewitnesses spoke of seeing debris and body parts flying in the streets. Southern Sinai peninsula resorts have been hit several times by bomb attacks. About 60 people were killed last July in a similar attack in Sharm el-Sheikh. The attack on Dahab, a low-key resort popular with Western backpackers, budget Israeli tourists and divers, was swiftly condemned. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called the explosions a "wicked terrorist act", and US President George W Bush described it as a "heinous act". The Hamas-led Palestinian government said it "strongly condemns this criminal act which flouts our religion, shakes Palestinian national security and works against Arab interests". ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4940506.stm